As AT&T is starting to sell 3G netbooks across the US, news about a new assault reached me, and I must say that, despite this so-called crisis, things seem to go extremely well for some companies. Obviously, Apple is one of them, since more and more of those retail chains still standing are probably thinking to get some sort of deal going with them. Best Buy did it already, and now Wal-Mart is next in line.
According to various sources, Wal-Mart has started a major overhaul operation, involving a few thousand of its locations. To be more accurate, we're talking about approximately 3,500 stores, including 2,600 Supercenter locations. The reason? Well, Circuity City went down, leaving a large slice of the TV market for the taking... and that should be enough of a reason, don't you agree?
Ben Reitzes, Barclays Capital analyst, thinks this move is the last step before Apple products will invade Wal-Mart. "We believe Wal-Mart is actively pitching Apple to carry more products. With Wal-Mart improving its retail displays, we believe that the mega-retailer could eventually earn the right to sell select Mac products without diluting Apple’s brand," he said.
Since exposure is what Apple really needs, I am sure that being able to reach areas where its own distribution points aren't present is a really tempting thought, especially because many Wal-Mart stores are located exactly where Apple doesn't have any of its own stores - in rural areas.
Until now, Apple has been extremely careful when choosing who sells its Macs, but if the Cupertino-based company really wants to keep its growth rate, some of its own rules will have to be broken... or they should be happy with keeping a constant customer base and doing the best for them. After all, there doesn't have to be only one...
